Improved tea-oahistee



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WILLAM WELEOURNE, vF PRESTON, GREAT BRITAN. Letters Patent life. 65,849, lated J'uhe 18, 186i'.

IMPROVBD TEA-GANISTB.

TO- ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Bc it known that I, WILLIAM Wntnounsn, ctPreston, in the county of Lancaster, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain improvements in Canisters for containing Tea, etc. and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. i

'lhe invention is designed for the purpose f preventing the accumulating of tea dust. or similar deposits at the bottom of canisters containing tea or other substances, and also for enabling the attendant to take tea from the canister without touching it with the hand er removing the canister from the shelf; and the improvements consist in subdividing a canister box or receptacle into several vert-ical compartments, transversely from side to side, the said divisions extending from the top of the canister to a slanting platform placed inside the canister a slight distance above the bottom thereof; this dist-ance or space being left conveniently large to allow a small scoop to be inserted therein, a swinging or sliding door being placed in the lower portion of Athe canister to admit the scoop. 'lhe middle compartment in the canister is provided with a Idoor which, when closed, divides the said compartment in two, the back one having a clear open passage through the diagonal platform into the space in the bottom of the canister, and the bottom ordiagonal platform of the two outer or side compartments are provided with a sliding door, which, when withdrawn or opened, also allow an 'open thoroughfare from the said side compartment into the aforesaid space in the bottom of the canister. Thus, when the canisteris iilled, with tea, for example, the density thereot` in the middle compartment has been discharged, at which time the weight of tea in the front compartment forces open the said door so as to eiect a communication foi-discharge through the same passage into the bottom space; so soon and as' the centre compartmentl is empty thc slide in' one oi' the side compartments is withdrawn, thereby allowing the tea contained therein to bc discharged, and so on in like manner with the opposite compartment. The discharge of the tea from the several compartments in the lower space of the canister, as described, is regulated according to the quantity withdrawn from such space by the scoop. t

In order to enable others to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to' describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 representsl a front view, shown in elevation, of a canister or receptacle, its internal arrangement being shown in dot-ted lines. y

Figure 2 represents a sidc vertical section ot Ythe canister.

Figure 3 represents a plan vicw'of the same.

Figure 4 represents u. vertical side section of a square canister, supplied with the improved internal arrangement; and

Figure 5 represents a pian view ot' the same..

In figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, a a is thc canister or receptacle, which is internally subdivided into the compartments I Z1 b', the divisions extending from the top of the canister to the slanting platform c, which is securely placed inside at a small distance above the bottom d. The division or space e formed between the ,platform c, and the canister bottom CZ is conveniently large to admit a small scoop which is to beinsertcd therein through the doorwayf. 1llhe middle compartment Z1 of the canister is provided with the swing-doorg, which, when closed, divides the said compartment in two, thc back one, b', having a clearopening'or passage, z, through. the platform c into the space e. The bottom or diagonal platform c of the two outer or side compartments b b are provided with sliding-trap or drop-doors it', which, when withdrawn or opened, also allow an open passage from such compartments into the space e. Thus,'when the canister a is iilled with tea, t-he swing-doorg, being closed,v allows the back compartment b to become discharged as the4 tea'is withdrawn by the scoop from the space e, and as soon as the compartment is empty the weight of tea in the front compartment forces open the door g, effecting thereby a communication for discharging through the same passage into the bottom space c. The side compartments l) b are being severally emptied in like manner when the slides z't'are withdrawn, so as to open the passages between the said compartments b and the space or chamber c. The square canister, seen in iig. 4, is internally divided into two compartments b ZJ. These compartments being again divided by the divisional doors g g, terminate on the diagonal platform c. The back portion of the platform is secured by a hinge to the canister, and isso constructed that when supported by the leg c, the tea is prevented falling into the space e, but when let down :i passage is opened between the compartment of' the canister andthe space e, the discharge of the contents of eaeLbeing effected direetiy through these two ape1-tuxes,opened :1nd closed by the hinged platform, or, if' the platorm be incniined from the sides Vto the centre, both compartments muy be discharged through one central aperture into which the scoop is inserted.

I elaiin :1s my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentcanister, having partitions and doors, arranged and operating substantially in 'the manner and for the purpose described. I

In testirnony whereof I have signed my name to this specifc'ation inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

i WILLIAM WELBOURNE. Witnesses:

THOMAS WRIGLEY, JOHN HUGHES. 

